Court Asks Wetangula To Resign as Ford Kenya Leader
Wetangula
The High Court has ruled that Moses Wetangula should have stepped down as the leader of Ford Kenya when he took office as Speaker of the National Assembly.
The case, brought in 2023 by 12 registered voters, contested Wetangula’s ongoing leadership of Ford Kenya despite his election as Speaker.
The petitioners contended that his dual role is unconstitutional, as the Speaker must be a neutral arbiter.
The petitioners argued that Wetangula, in his role as Speaker, is an ex-officio member of the parliamentary group for the Kenya Kwanza coalition, which raises doubts about his political impartiality. The court concurred, determining that it is illegal to hold both positions at the same time.
The three-judge bench comprising Justices John Chigiti, Lawrence Mugambi, and Jairus Ngaah remarked that “the duo role is unlawful and unconstitutional.”
There has been increasing pressure on Wetangula to resign from his position as leader of Ford Kenya, with detractors claiming that his political connections hinder his capacity to oversee parliamentary matters impartially.
The law mandates that the Speaker of either House of Parliament must be neutral and detached from any party’s interests.
Additionally, in the same ruling, the High Court designated Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Coalition as the Majority Party in the National Assembly.
